USDA Foods: Unallocated and Excess Accounts

This Management Bulletin (MB) provides clarification on procedures for handling U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods in Unallocated Accounts and Excess Accounts at approved processors.

USDA Foods in Unallocated Accounts

Unallocated inventory is inventory on incoming trucks that is not assigned to any particular recipient agency (RA). Unallocated pounds are currently designated on processor schedules as “Unallocated.” All unallocated pounds must be placed in an Unallocated Account at processors. The pounds may only be allocated to RAs with entitlement to spend. An RA requesting to use these pounds needs to work with their Food Distribution Program (FDP) Order Coordinator to assign unallocated pounds to them. In order to receive unallocated pounds, the RA may be charged entitlement and an administrative fee.

Procedure for Assigning Unallocated USDA Foods to an RA

• The RA contacts their FDP Order Coordinator to request unallocated pounds. Private co-ops are considered single RAs. The RAs in private co-ops must contact the co-op lead district, who may contact the FDP Order Coordinator.

• The FDP Order Coordinator will check the availability of unallocated pounds at the processor where the RA requests them.

• Unallocated pounds may cost the RA entitlement and/or administrative fees. The FDP Order Coordinator will provide these details.

• The FDP Order Coordinator will assign the unallocated pounds to the RA and charge any applicable entitlement and/or fees. If the RA is not able to receive the unallocated pounds, the FDP Order Coordinator will notify them.

• The FDP Order Coordinator will email the RA to confirm the allocation.

• Once the RA is assigned the unallocated inventory, the FDP will send a revised processor schedule and allocation breakdown to the processor by email.

• After the processor receives the revised schedule and breakdown, they may move the unallocated pounds into the RA’s account and notify the RA that pounds are available for drawdown.

USDA Foods in Excess Accounts

USDA Foods may only be placed into an Excess Account with the approval of the FDP. Inventory in the Excess Account is from RAs with excess inventory or unused carryover inventory. Pounds in the Excess Account do not cost entitlement or administrative fees for RAs to use.

Procedure for Assigning USDA Foods in an Excess Account to an RA

• RAs and processors can work together to determine if the RA needs pounds from an Excess Account and if those pounds are available.

• Transfers out of an Excess Account require a completed transfer form. The RA and the processor must complete and sign the transfer form, then send it by email to the processor’s FDP Processing Consultant. The State to Agency Transfer Form is available on the California Department of Education (CDE) USDA Food Transfer Forms Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/fd/commlosstrans.asp.

• The FDP Processing Consultant will review the transfer form and approve or deny the transfer.

• The approved transfer form is emailed to the RA and the processor upon approval. When the RA and the processor receive the approved transfer form, the processor may transfer the pounds from the Excess Account to the RA.

• If denied, the FDP Processing Consultant will notify the RA and processor by phone or email.

Transfers into the Excess Account from RAs

As stated previously, inventory in the Excess Account is from RAs with excess inventory or unused carryover.

RAs with excess inventory can agree to transfer some or all of their inventory at a processor to the Excess Account at the processor. Transfers into an Excess Account require a completed transfer form. The RA and the processor must complete and sign the transfer form, then send it by email to the processor’s FDP Processing Consultant. The Agency to State Transfer Form is available on the CDE USDA Food Transfer Forms Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/fd/commlosstrans.asp. The FDP Processing Consultant will review the transfer form and approve the transfer. The approved transfer form is emailed to the RA and the processor. When the RA and the processor receive the approved transfer form, the processor may transfer the pounds from the RA to the Excess Account.

RAs with unused carryover may have inventory moved into the Excess Account as outlined in FDP MB NSD-FDP-05-2011, Carryover Inventory at USDA Foods Processors, available on the CDE Food Distribution Management Bulletins Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/fd/fdpmbulletins.asp.

Contacting an FDP Order Coordinator

The FDP Ordering Coordinators may be reached by calling 916-324-7132 or via email at FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov.

Unallocated and Excess Accounts on Monthly Performance Reports

For effective use of the Unallocated and Excess Accounts, processors must track and report the Unallocated Account and the Excess Account separately on their monthly performance reports.

If you have any questions regarding this MB, please contact Jeanette Lund, Processing Consultant, by phone at 916-324-6150 or by email at jlund@cde.ca.gov. [Note: The preceding infomation is not longer valid. If you have any questions regarding this MB, please contact the Food Distribution Program Office by phone at 916-323-0865 or by email at FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov.]